The entire community is invited to attend the event, and those attending are encouraged to wear purple in honor of Domestic Violence awareness month.
“We will be remembering those who lost their lives due to domestic violence in the state of Texas, and we will be celebrating that as of right now Eagle Pass hasn’t lost a woman to domestic violence this year,” said MCCADV Coordinator Perla Vela. “We’re just here to educate the community on what domestic violence is, how it effects us, and how there is a way out.We just want people be aware that domestic violence happens in our town and we should be educated and we should know that there is help available in our community not only from the coalition but there’s outreach programs like New Horizons and Winter Gardens, there’s shelters throughout the county. ”
Those who know of someone who has faced an abusive relationship, or have faced domestic violence themselves are also welcome to submit names for a balloon release at the end of the event.
“We’ll be releasing balloons with the names attached, symbolizing that they’re free from the abuse,” said Vela.
MCCADV is also holding a logo contest open to students in grades 7 through 12. The winner, who will receive recognition and take home a cash prize, will be announced at the vigil.
The organization hopes these events will bring attention to a serious problem in the community.
In 2016, 525 domestic violence cases and 28 sexual assaults were reported to the Eagle Pass Police Department. That same year, 234 cases of domestic violence were reported to the the Maverick County Sheriff’s Department.
“We have been seeing a lot of referrals coming out from pd and the sheriff’s department, so we have their cooperation in getting those people that need help to where the help is,” said Vela. “ Locally, we usually get on average per month at least 10 to 12 new people seeking service. That doesn’t stop the ones we’ve already been seeing.”
MCCADV is available for all types of assistance including legal, social services, child support, CPS, referrals to doctors, counseling, therapy, jobs, and school.
“We just motivate them to live independently,” said Vela. “We’ll do anything that will help them in their situation.”
For more information feel free to call MCCADV Coordinator Perla Vela at 830-309-5165 or 830-757-0600, or email her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .